by David Ellis
Freshly-baked cheesecake is hard to beat–it’s hefty and decadent, but not overly sweet or rich. Fortunately for us all, Yokohama has a real cheesecake factory named Gateau Yokohama. Located on a quiet river canal with boats docked outside, it’s a nice, cozy place to have tea or coffee with friends. The factory has a tearoom and its main shop sells cheesecake and other sweets made within its facilities.
We ordered the Blueberry Cheesecake (¥375) and the top two selling items: Yokohama Cheesecake (¥350), a plain cheesecake made with fresh cream cheese, and Yokohama Cheese Pudding (¥350). My teenage son, who can be a harsh food critic, described the cheesecake as “sweet but not too sweet and so fresh.” The tart was extremely crunchy and added a nice texture and contrast to the soft, smooth cheese mixture on top. The slices are a little thin, so I recommend ordering the cheese pudding to complement your cheesecake. It’s light and creamy, almost like it’s “a mix of cheesecake and pudding” as my son put it. I couldn’t say it any better.
After you try the cheesecake, you’ll probably want to buy some to take home. Many customers come just for takeout. You get a 10% discount on all of your takeout orders made at the factory, which is just around the corner from the main shop. The smallest, a 13 cm cheesecake, is reasonably priced at ¥1850. You can also opt for the bigger sizes, such as 16 cm or 18 cm. If Yokohama Portside isn’t convenient for you, there are small Gateau Yokohama shops located in Kannai and Haneda Airport Terminals 1 and 2.
